Balanga City

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City of Balanga, Bataan

Location
Map of Bataan showing the location of Balanga City.
Government
Region	Central Luzon (Region III)
Province	Bataan (Capital)
District	2nd district of Bataan
Barangays	25
Income class:	5th class city; component city
Mayor	Jose Enrique Garcia (Kampi)
Cityhood	2000
Official Website	Balanga Official Website
Physical characteristics
Area	135.60 km²
Population
Total (2000)	71,088
Density	524/km²

The City of Balanga (Filipino: Lungsod ng Balanga) is a fifth class city in the province of Bataan, Philippines. It is the capital city of Bataan. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 71,088 people in 14,065 households. Its citizens are called Balangueños.

[edit] Barangays

Balanga City is politically subdivided into 25 barangays.

[edit] City Mayor

Balanga as seen from the crucifix on Mount Samat

[edit] History

Balanga, the capital of Bataan, was formerly a visita of Abucay before it was established as a mission of the Dominican Order in the Provincial Chapter of April 21, 1714 and later declared a vicariate on April 18, 1739, under the patronage of Saint Joseph. Upon the establishment of Bataan as a separate province in 1754, Balanga was made its capital by General Pedro Manuel Arandia due to its favorable location, at the heart of the new territorial jurisdiction. The word Balanga originates from the Tagalog word bañga (clay pot), which the town used to produce and which was among the best that can be found in the country.

Today. Balanga has just recently been transformed into a City. Prior to this development, the City has extended its urban fringe to west of Roman Superhighway and a new growth center in Barangay Tuyo has been delineated in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. During the past years, the city saw a high record of residential growth. The consequent expansion of the physical limits of the urban core as well as the expected large increases in population, and its attractiveness to commercial and employment activities, the City Government of Balanga decided to undertake a Master Planning exercise and to propose various developmental projects that would establish Balanga as a well-planned community with quality and character that is innovative and special. .^[1]

[edit] Education

Balanga City is the educational center of the province of Bataan. It currently has one public university and several private colleges offering various courses such as Accountancy, Business Administration, Computer Science and Information Technology, Elementary and Secondary Education, Engineering, and Health Professions like Nursing and Midwifery.

Bataan Peninsula State University is the lone public university in the city. It operates two campuses in the city, the main campus which is located in the capitol compound and the Balanga City campus which is located in downtown area.

Tomas del Rosario College is one of the oldest private educational institution in the city. It is located at Capitol Drive in Barangay San Jose.

St. Joseph College of Balanga is the newest college in the city.

The other private colleges in the city include Asia Pacific College of Advanced Studies and EastWoods College (formerly SOFTNET College of Science and Technology), both located in Barangay Ibayo, Bataan Heroes Memorial College located in Bataan Provincial Expressway, Microcity Computer College located at Capitol Drive, and STI College Balanga in Barangay Poblacion.

Other higher educational institutions in the city of Balanga include AMA Computer Learning Center – Balanga, Philippine Women's University - CDCEC Bataan, and Proclesia International Inc.

The city is also a host to the biggest public secondary school in the province, the Bataan National High School. The other notable public secondary schools in the city are the laboratory high school of Bataan Peninsula State University, and the newest Bataan Integrated School.

Notable private secondary schools in the city include the high school departments of Tomas del Rosario College, Asia Pacific College of Advanced Studies and St. Joseph College of Balanga, Bataan Infant Jesus School and Bataan Montessori School, Inc.

[edit] Bataan Provincial Expressway

Balanga City is on Exit 30.

[edit] Economy

[edit] Banks

The following is a list of banks in the city.

• Accord Bank
• Balanga Rural Bank
• Banco de Oro
• Banco Filipino
• Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
• Bataan Development Bank
• Bataan Savings and Loan Bank
• Chinabank
• Development Bank of the Philippines
• Guagua Savers Bank
• Land Bank of the Philippines
• Maybank
• Metrobank
• Philippine National Bank
• Philippine Savings Bank
• Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation
• Rural Bank of Pilar
• United Coconut Planters Bank
• Unity Bank

[edit] Commercial Centers

• Balanga Plaza Arcade
• Bataan Metromall is located in Barangay Poblacion. It has a department store and an appliance center. Popular clothing companies operate their shops in the mall including Bench and Penshoppe.
• Bataan Sunshine Mall
• Bataan Transport Mall
• Central Plaza Mall
• Naval Commercial Center
• RECAR Beltran Commercial Complex

[edit] Fast-food Restaurants

Several fast-food restaurants operate in the city and these include the following.

• Chowking
• Greenwich Pizza
• Jollibee
• Kentucky Fried Chicken
• Max's Restaurant
• McDonald's
• Red Ribbon (Bakeshop)

[edit] Public Market

• Bagsakan Center Food Terminal
• Balanga City Public Market

[edit] Places of Interest

[edit] General

• Balanga City Hall
• Balanga City Plaza
• Bataan Provincial Capitol
• Catholic Church Belfry
• Surrender Site Marker, Balanga Central School

[edit] Hospitals

• Bataan Doctors' Hospital
• Bataan General Hospital
• Isaac-Catalina Medical Center
• St. Joseph Hospital
• Women's Hospital

[edit] Hotels

• Crown Royale Hotel
• Elison Hotel
• Hillside Mansion

[edit] Places of Worship

• Capitol United Methodist Church
• Church of CHrist
• Iglesia ni Kristo
• Kingdom Hall of Jehova's Witnesses
• Papuri Home
• St. Joseph Cathedral
• Iglesia ng Dios kay Cristo Jesus haligi at suhay ng katotohanan(the true religion that god's made)

[edit] Sports

• Balanga Athletic Grounds
• Bataan People's Center is a great venue for indoor sports competition and for concerts. It is located within the Bataan Capitol Compound.

[edit] Cemeteries

• Eternal Shrine Memorial Park

[edit] References

1. ^ NSCB - 2001 Factsheet - 12 New Cities Created, July-December 2000.

[edit] External links

• Balanga City News and Current Events
• Balanga City General Information
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• Filipino Community
• City of Balanga
• Bataan National High School